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What is the Constitution?



27 Updates to the U.S. Constitution

The Constitution of the United States provides two methods for making amendments. Only one has ever been used. The United States Congress can pass a bill setting out a proposed amendment by a vote of two thirds in each body. Or a constitutional convention can be convened by a vote of two thirds of the state legislatures, which will propose one or more amendments. This has never happened and its unclear exactly how such a constitutional convention would operate.

In either case, the amendments to the U.S. Constitution only become effective after being ratified by 3/4 of the states. Some amendments are quickly ratified. The 27th Amendment, on the other hand, was proposed in 1792 and did not achieve final ratification until 1992. Unlike all proposed amendments since Prohibition, this amendment had no deadline.
Some prominent amendments never are ratified. The Equal Rights Amendment was proposed in 1972 and was ratified by 34 of the necessary 38 states. However, advocates could not get the last four states necessary and the Congressional-imposed deadline for ratification passed.

The first 10 amendments were soon passed and are known collectively as the Bill of Rights. Another cluster of amendments was passed following the Civil War and sought to enshrine the rights of the newly freed slaves.
The United States Constitution now has 25 functioning amendments. There have been 27 ratified in total, but one of these, the 18th, was Prohibition and another, the 21st, was the repeal of Prohibition.

Amendment Ratified Description:

1st 1791 Rights to Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, Petition
2nd 1791 Right to Bear Arms
3rd 1791 Quartering of Soldiers
4th 1791 Search and Seizure
5th 1791 Grand Jury, Double Jeopardy, Self-Incrimination, Due Process

6th 1791 Rights of Accused in Criminal Prosecutions: Rights to Jury Trial, to Confront Opposing Witnesses and to Counsel

7th 1791 Jury Trial
8th 1791 Protections against Excessive Bail, Cruel and Unusual Punishment
9th 1791 Non-Enumerated Rights
10th 1791 Rights Reserved to States
11th 1795 Suits Against a State
12th 1804 Election of President and Vice-President
13th 1865 Abolition of Slavery and Involuntary Servitude

14th 1868 Protects rights against state infringements, defines citizenship, prohibits states from interfering with privileges and immunities, requires due process and equal protection, punishes states for denying vote, and disqualifies Confederate officials and debts

15th 1870 Voting Rights
16th 1913 Federal Income Tax
17th 1913 Popular Election of Senators
18th 1919 Prohibition
19th 1920 Women's Right to Vote
20th 1933 Commencement of Presidential Term and Succession
21st 1933 Repeal of 18th Amendment (Prohibition)
22nd 1951 Two-Term Limitation on President
23rd 1961 District of Columbia Presidential Vote
24th 1964 Abolition of Poll Tax Requirement in Federal Elections
25th 1967 Presidential Vacancy, Disability and Inability
26th 1971 Right to Vote at Age 18
27th 1992 Congressional Compensation

Know Your Rights

Throughout history, rulers and dictators have taken away people's rights. In many parts of the world today people can't worship as they please, talk freely, gather with groups of friends, or travel. If you feel that everyone is always telling you what to do and that you have no rights, you're wrong! Children are protected by the same laws that protect adults, such as the Bill of Rights. Children also have their own rights, which were developed by the United Nations. It's important to know your rights and to stand up for yourself.

The Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution in the form of amendments. The chief purpose of the amendments was to protect the rights of individuals from the government's interference. They guarantee rights such as religious freedom, freedom of the press, and trial by jury to all American citizens.

• First Amendment: Freedom of religion, freedom of speech and the press, the right to assemble, the right to petition government.

• Second Amendment: The right to form a militia and to keep and bear arms.

• Third Amendment: The right not to have soldiers in one's home.

• Fourth Amendment: Protection against unreasonable search and seizure.

• Fifth Amendment: No one can be tried for a serious crime unless indicted (accused) by a grand jury. No one can be forced to testify against herself or himself. No one can be punished without due process of law. People must be paid for property taken for public use.

• Sixth Amendment: People have a right to a speedy trial, to legal counsel, and to confront their accusers.

• Seventh Amendment: People have the right to a jury trial in civil suits exceeding $20.

• Eighth Amendment: Protection against excessive bail (money to release a person from jail), stiff fines, and cruel and unusual punishment.

• Ninth Amendment: Because there are so many basic human rights, not all of them could be listed in the Constitution. This amendment means that the rights that are enumerated cannot infringe upon rights that are not listed in the Constitution.

• Tenth Amendment: Powers not given to the federal government by the Constitution belong to the states or the people.

Other Important Amendments

Thirteenth Amendment (1865): Slavery shall not be allowed in the U.S.
Nineteenth Amendment (1920): Women have the right to vote.
Twenty-sixth Amendment (1971): U.S. citizens who are 18 years of age or older have the right to vote. (Previously, they had to be 21 years old.)

You’re Rights as a Child

In 1989, the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child because “the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care” and because “in all countries of the world, there are children living in exceptionally difficult conditions.” Following are highlights of the 41 articles of rights.

1. Every child has a right to life.

2. Every child has a right to a name at birth and a nationality.

3. Every child has the right to live with his or her parent unless it is against the child's best interests.

4. Special protection shall be given to refugee children.

5. Every child has the right to the highest standard of health and medical care possible.

6. The child has a right to education. The state is to ensure that primary education is free and compulsory.

7. No child shall be subjected to torture, cruel treatment, unlawful arrest, or deprivation of liberty.

8. Children under 15 shall not be recruited into the armed forces.
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